1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to louvered coverings and more particularly pertains to a several different types of decorations which can be affixed to such louvered coverings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of decorations to improve the aesthetic appearance of louvered coverings is well known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,562, which issued to Goodman on Jun. 5, 1990, discloses a decorative member for attachment to a vertical slat associated with a window covering blind structure. The decorative member includes a substrate which fits into the blind slat and a cover member which is attached to the substrate so as to cover the exposed edges of the blind slat to which the member is attached. The decorative member can be provided with any type of ornamentation or depiction which improves the aesthetic appearance of the overall blind arrangement.
Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,220 which issued to Hiller on Mar. 27, 1990. This patent discloses a louver cover designed to maximize the decorative valve of a louver used in louvered window coverings and the like. The louver cover includes an elongate tubular body having dimensions sufficient to enclose a louver therein. The louver cover may be attached to a louver by snaps provided on one end of the tubular body, and the cover is constructed of a flexible fabric which is dyed or imprinted with an image. When associated with a plurality of louvers, the plurality of louver covers are positioned and colored to provide a large composite image to viewers on either side of the louvered covering. The louver cover is removable and thus provides for a variation of the color and function of the louvers presently in a consumer's home.
As opposed to using removable decorative covers, the use of a decorative decal system is also known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,529, which issued to Landis on Nov. 23, 1993, discloses a decorative decal system for louvered devices, such as venetian blinds or mini-blinds, wherein such system utilizes a series of easily removable adhesive backed decal strips for application to louvered blinds or windows. Each decal strip contains a segment of a decorative design or other indicia, and when all of the segments are applied to a series of louvers in a blind, the group of decal strips forms a unitary pattern on the blind.
As such, it can be seen that the concept of utilizing removable decorations on louvered blinds is covered by these above-discussed patents. While each of these prior art patents disclose decorative coverings which fulfill there respective objectives and requirements, and are most likely quite functional for their intended purposes, it will be noticed that each involves a specific method of attachment which might be described as complex. For example, the decorative coverings disclosed in the Goodman and Hiller patents are utilizable only on vertical slats of a blind structure and are not particularly and easily adaptable for use with a horizontal slat structure as found in most Venetian and mini-blinds. While the decorative system utilized in Landis is utilizable with horizontal slats, a tedious and time consuming process would be involved to adhesively attach a decorative decal to each of the individual slats. Once attached, there is very little likelihood that a consumer would want to go through the difficult procedure of removing decals to replace them with decals depicting a different composite image and as such, there appears to still exist the need for an easily removable and exchangeable decorative system for louvered coverings. In this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.